Won't Start

Tiny
STARFLOWER1
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD FOCUS
2000 Ford Focus ZTS 86k *Please help :cry:. For the last couple of weeks I have been having a huge problem starting my car in the mornings when it's cold (maybe 50/60 degrees) The engine will crank but not start up and when I can finally get it to start up it kills immediately. Finally I was able to step on the gas as soon as the car started up and hold the pedal down for about a minute and the car would stay running. The funny thing about all of this is after I finally do get the car running and it warms up I have no further problems starting the car until the next cold morning. However this morning it took 25 minutes to finally get it to stay running and I really need to get this fixed before one morning it won't start at all. Any advice :.I know it's not the battery or the fuel pump and when driving the car there are no signs of idle problems, nor does the car cut off while driving, after I get it going.
Tuesday, July 11th, 2006 AT 6:29 PM

119 Replies

Tiny
STARFLOWER1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Focus was put on diagnostic machine, came back that I needed a new ignition coil. I replaced the coil yesterday. Came out this morning to start the car. It started right up but then killed seconds later.I tried this 3-4 more times with the same results. Any advice?
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Sunday, July 16th, 2006 AT 12:59 AM
Tiny
JDPHEONIX
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  • 5 POSTS
Live sumwhere cold? My mom used to live in wyoming and her crap would freeze up. Shed have to put a heater on her car all night. Ill ask her what was wrong, wat frooze up so I could help u more.
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Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 AT 12:10 AM
Tiny
STARFLOWER1
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I live in California where it's pretty moderate and is only around 50 degrees in the morning. This morning it started right up and didn't kill. I don't know if it's because it's been much warmer in the mornings or if maybe the new coil did the trick. I did however add some HEET to the gas yesterday and maybe that did it. I'll keep my fingers crossed. :D thanks
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Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 AT 12:24 AM
Tiny
JDPHEONIX
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  • 5 POSTS
Ya, ive been told to gas line can freezee up. I think you can buy little magnetic heater thingys to help with that tho.

Buy the way. SO CAL RULES!
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Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 AT 11:54 AM
Tiny
LARRY MCNEECE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD FOCUS
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
Daughter was in a very minor accident that set off the airbags. I installed new airbags and reset the inertia switch but car will not start. I can hear fuel pump kick on and it turns over but will not start.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Try security system reset if not mistaken crashes do that as well see our link
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-reset-a-security-system
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LARRY MCNEECE
  • MEMBER
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Ok I am getting spark and fuel it blew out the top motor mount is it possible it bent a valve
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
How did it blow out the motor mount? By starting? Or do you mean it backfired and the 2.0L engine is a non interference engine so you didn't blow a valve. Does it run now? The mount probably got destroyed from accident. Does car run now?
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LARRY MCNEECE
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It finally did start but has light white smoke out tailpipe not running as smoothly as it did before accident. But it is running.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
See if it clears up on it's own for a few minutes then pressure check for a blown head gasket with a pressure checker. It may be just a build up of fuel causing the smoke and running also if any holes in duct work leading to engine from air cleaner as that will cause an engine to run like crap. But you should really have this looked at by a pro.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LARRY MCNEECE
  • MEMBER
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Yes I agree I took it for a drive(I live in the country)and it started to really run like crap a lot more smoke and when I got back it sounded like it was galloping. Probably head gasket and head job.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MERDEA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 94,000 MILES
Engine Mechanical problem
2000 Ford Focus 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 94,000 miles

I was driving my 2000 ford focus to work, stopped at a red light and it stalled on me and hasn't turned on. It cranks but engine will not start. To my understanding, the fuel pump is working. Prior to this, I have not had problems with it stalling on me or turning on. The only thing I noticed is that when I drove it in the rain and went over water, the engine would hesitate to go and check engine light would blink but soon after it ran dry, the light went off and car ran well. Before this incident, I did replace the oxygen sensor a couple months ago after the check engine light was on and stayed on. What other reasons could there be for it not to start? Any help on this is greatly appreciated!
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Could be fuel or spark issue-Do below and comeback with the missing one. Both present could mean a broken timing belt
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MERDEA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Hey thanks a lot for the info. I have since replaced the timing belt. The person who did it says he might've not done it correctly, but won't be able to fix it til saturday morning. It runs ok except for a couple of things. It hesitates to accelerate and when it's idling, it wants to die. What kind of symptoms would the car have it the timing belt is not 'timed' right? Would this cause any damage to the engine or any other part of the car? Thanks again.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check the idle air control valve/motor and throttle position sensor-also check the fuel pressure.

Could be that the valve and ignition timing is still off causing this problem. The issue here is: he might've not done it correctly

If its an interference engine-your a done deal if the belt breaks-Redo it.
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LIKETOFISH89
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD FOCUS
  • 101 MILES
I have a 2000 Ford focus SE I started it up and put it reverse and it started to spudder I put it in drive and it started to make a loud clanging noise like metal hitting metal and now will not start or turn over
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Like engine is siezed? Or starter does not operate?
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LIKETOFISH89
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
First it made a noise like a knocking noise now it won't start like the batteries dead but all the electronics are still working fine
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
So what happened?
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PORTHOS1
  • MEMBER
  • 49 POSTS
  • 2000 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 123,000 MILES
Engine Mechanical problem
2000 Ford Focus 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 123000 miles

I had just purchased this vehicle from an auction. When I got it the idle seemed rough. After a little investigation I found two of the four plugs missing the electrodes. These were bosch platinum plugs and the guy at the oreillys stated that these are not good for fords. Well I put in 4 new motorcrafts and it started ok. It at least kept idling and didnt die. But still rough. I drove it about 10 miles and when I got home I checked a few more things. I was told to check egr valve because of lots of issues with it. Well I first replaced the egr valve plug. Not sure of the real name but it has a power line to it and a vacuum line going in and one coming out that goes to the actual egr valve. Anyway same results. So I ordered a new egr valve and was just putting things back together and I heard this wierd ping noise and the car died. I then turned it over and wouldnt start. I immediately thought the timing belt had blown. I removed the cover and turned it over and the belt was fine. My mechanic friend stated that it might of "jumped". Why? How? And or is this true? If so can I get it back to where it should be? And the ping noise?

Update- pulled off the valve cover just to see if maybe there was a bad rocker or valve. I also had removed each plug to check their condition and found all but 1 were fine. One of them the ceramic surrounding the electrode was sliding all the way down. Well I left it out of the car port. I turned over the key to see the valves and such and the car started. Well ofcourse oil was flying around. I put back the cover and turned the key. It started. It ran horrible but ran. But as soon as I put back the sparkplug in the hole. Wont start. Pull it out. Runs. I had broke the ceramic on purpose to at least be able to use that plug until I bought another one. Still didnt light. Now mind you this is one of the spots that had orginally when I bought it a broken electrode. What gives?
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Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 AT 1:56 PM (Merged)

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